AOCAF 67: Eternal Chaos (Everything Thread)

[Jabal Akhdar]

Jabal Akhdar – 1 (1)
el-Abdul; al-Jalil, al-Idris (62’ el-Hamad ), el-Saladin; el-Basha; Zaman, el-Moustafa, Hakimi, el-Karim (62’ Kassis (80’)); el-Fadel (62’ el-Nasir ), Akram (24’)

Equestria – 1 (0)
(84’)

Article from news magazine The New Week National Atlantic News Spectating Economist Time Man.

In a Sweating Sultanate, Questions of Regional Pride Blunt An Outsider’s Aggression

When Jabal Akhdar’s national football team took to the pitch in Mar Sara for MD1 of AOCAF 67, it was widely understood that far more than a ball game was at stake. Prime Minister Kaija Michaelsdóttir of Græntfjall had previously stated that her nation would not act before the AOCAF Cup began – but that that was the final deadline for the handing over of Prince Hakim el-Masri, alleged mastermind of the Steinaux terror attacks and leader of the el-Masri network (Wahash Bahriun ’Usturiun). When MD1 arrived with no sign from a defiant Crown Prince Siddeeqi Ghaazi el-Masri that he would deliver up his cousin, the unmistakeable assumption was that Græntfjall would initiate offensive operations against the desert emirate. So through the game, it was obvious the Green Falcons were playing under a heavy cloud. There was little celebration when Rayyan Noor Zaman powered an impressive attacking throw into the box, flicked on by Wajeeh el-Fadel and headed home by Misfar Akram; the reaction when the Equestrians pulled back a late equalizer barely registered. The players practically rushed from the field as soon as the whistle blew for full time, eschewing hoof-shakes with their opponents to scramble for the cellphones that anti-corruption regulations had prohibited them from accessing during the game. They clustered outside the stadium, calling home to Jabal Akhdar City. And, unexpectedly, being connected. There was no assault on their country.

Or perhaps – has not been. Yet.

Græntfjall, still unused to wielding power on a global stage after decades of isolation, has largely confined to its former colonial territories as it seeks to stake out a role for itself. Its involvement in the Nyowani Kitara crisis on its borders was largely seen as disastrous, and its failure to prevent Eura developing a naval base in the Pavola region has left its analysts smarting. The Steinaux terror attacks, terrible and tragic as they were, have at least had the effect of currying significant international sympathy and goodwill, but that goodwill appears not to stretch so far as to allow any kind of retribution against the country the Queendom claims is effectively responsible for the attacks, or at least, responsible for harboring their mastermind. While only one of the Steinaux attackers was born in Jabal Akhdar, two claim Akhdari ancestry and all five had visited the Emirate prior to the attack. Public protests outside the Akhdari embassy have been rancorous, if not rancid, in tone, while AOPIC company facilities were attacked and daubed with anti-Akhdari (and in some cases anti-Muslim) slogans.

Yet the fact remains that Atlantian Oceania is a proud and independent region with a history and community far eclipsing that of the Rushmori upstart threatening violence against one of its members. Jabal Akhdar may not be a beloved member of the Atlantian community but they did host the most recent AOCAF Cup, have invested in members of the region through AOPIC, and have generally enjoyed friendly relations. The accusation that they harbor or even sponsor terrorists no doubt shocks and appals AO members, and there is no suggestion any other nation in the region has anything but contempt for the el-Masri network. Yet Atlantian nations including the Commonwealth of Baker Park, Milchama and the Busoga Islands have clearly indicated their opposition to any military incursion into what they will regard as their own regional territory. That leaves Græntfjall, which has friendly relations with many Atlantian nations and ongoing economic concerns in the region, at something of an impasse. An impasse neatly demonstrated by the line of ships currently toiling in Atlantian waters.



TNWNANSWTM is a very serious news magazine, which is why they use only the TOP graphic designers



Operation Storm of the Light’s Bane is the codename of the Græntfjaller deployment to Jabal Akhdar. Under Phase One: Operation Fathomless Depths, elements of the Second Fleet have been deployed to Atlantian Oceania and are currently anchored in international waters (“IW”), just outside the line of Jabal Akhdar’s territorial waters. But with observers reporting littoral combat and amphibious warfare elements among the fleet, remaining at sea indefinitely seems unlikely to be the next phase of the plan, especially given Græntfjaller sailors’ well known dislike of remaining at sea for long periods, fearing as they do kraken attacks. Their position represents a situation of considerable geopolitical complexity given Jabal Akhdar’s location. Approach from any direction other than the Vilitan Cove is impossible owing to the Great Calanian Desert (“GCD”, which the frostbound Græntfjallers regard as a particularly hellishly impassable barrier. Yet in lingering to the Emirate’s west, the Græntfjallers are risking straying off course.

Four islands (two unoccupied islands “1” and “2”, AO Isle, and a lengthy barrier “3” split between Nellietopia, unclaimed territory, and Jabal Akhdar) lie in their immediate vicinity. Any movement to take the unoccupied islands as a staging point for an assault on Jabal Akhdar would, given their proximity to the regional capitol island, no doubt further antagonize Atlantian sentiment against the Græntfjallers, who are left with only a narrow possible approach. The Queendom has launched many air strikes against alleged terrorist camps in the Emirate in recent years, and prior to AOCAF Cup 66 launched a major strike against the Emirate’s air force, but now it seems possible Atlantian nations will deny Græntfjallers use of their air space, which would make it impossible to refuel given the long distance from Rushmore. If Græntfjaller vessels cannot refuel, they will have to limp home in ignominy having failed, in the public eye, to achieve any measure of vengeance for the blood shed on their streets. Yet proceeding ahead risks dragging Græntfjall and Atlantian Oceania into outright opposition. For their part, the Emirate has retained a defiant tone throughout. The Crown Prince has resolutely refused to surrender his cousin. Threading the needle’s eye will not just be a challenge for Græntfjall’s sailors, but for their Prime Minister.

[Mlima Kijani]

Mlima Kijani – 4 (2)
Mũthĩnji; Odhiambo, Watene (45’ Ibulaim ), Ngigi, Bingamu; Orombi, Ciugũ (75’ Mũrĩranja ); Ogweyo, Abong’o (63’), Obama (89’); Mũrũngarũa (29’, 35’ pen.) (75’ Njerũ (82’))

Sea Dome – 1 (0)
(79’)

Selection of articles from Kijani news media.

Kings claim huge win

The Kings powered to a 4–1 win over Sea Dome at the Hellgate. Striker Kĩoi Mũrũngarũa headed in a cross from Jubal Ogweyo, and minutes later doubled the lead with a goal from the penalty spot after Rufus Abong’o was fouled. In the second half Sea Dome clawed back a goal from a poorly defended free-kick, but Ngina Njerũ headed in a corner to restore the two-goal cushion, and Rajabu Husein Obama completed things with a minute to play with the best of the four goals, a searing distance strike. Captain Taamiti Bingamu said the win was “inspiring” and that the team were “really excited” to make a challenge. They face the legendary Banijan team next but Bingamu said they are “not afraid”.

Protest against food prices draws thousands to Simba Square

Nearly 4,000 protesters attended a rally in Simba Square in the capital, Ntukabanda, against food prices and the cost of living, according to neutral observers. But the protesters had no unifying theme to their complaints: competing chants of “corruption out” and “land justice now” highlighted the disparate demands, which range from civil employees upset at repeated delays in receiving their full salaries to civic society campaigners calling on President Chane Njuguna to resign on corruption charges to a radical band of activists who want the tiny number of Græntfjaller-descended farmers to give up their land holdings. The Bank of Mlima Kijani estimated inflation on food staples in high single figures this month, but people report far higher prices, with some economists estimating inflation may have reached 25%. Criticism of the high cost of building the President’s wife’s hairdresser’s new apartment while the government has been unable to meet its obligation to municipal sanitation and utilities workers, leading to rolling brownouts and uncollected trash in the streets of Ntukabanda, has increased pressure on President Njuguna to hold fresh elections. The President denied there was a cost of living crisis and has encouraged “frugality” while bemoaning the influence of “pernicious speculators” and “agents of monopoly capital”.

Explosion kills 4 at church

The Church of the Living Christ Redeemed in Kibubari was a scene of devastation that has left an estimated 4 dead in an attack claimed by the el-Masri Network in Mlima Kijani (MNMK), a splinter organization of the el-Masri network. Analysts say violent Islamist activist has increased in southern Mlima Kijani in recent months as economic deprivation and government instability adds to inter-ethnic tension. The attack, carried out by a homicide bomber, is the 8th on Christian churches in the last three months, and the first with multiple casualties, marking a worrying escalation in the level of violence.

[Valanora]

Shock and awe, that is all that can describe the feeling of the fans who left the Battleground after the complete disappointment of not able to turn dominance into a victory and instead were handed a very unexpected and unlikely defeat in the group stage. Against a debut nation in their first ever national team game, the number one team in the region and one of the two cohosts of the tournament was supposed to have something of an easy go of it as the team looked to give the fans in the capital city a celebration to start the month long tournament taking place in the Eternal Empire and Farfadillis to the northeast of the Empire. To be on the wrong side of what can only be described as a smash and grab from the newcomers to the international game, it was far from the celebration that the team and the fans who were attendance had been expecting and it leaves quite the bitter taste in the mouth for all involved on the Vanorian side. The fans disappointed, the team embarrassed, and the staff now looking at a situation where they were likely going to have to win their last two group stage matches just to make it out of the group.

The team now travels to Sabinal, the de facto capital in Sabine and Caddonia, where they will be looking to use the heat and humidity to their advantage to try and put the side from Jabal Akhdar in an uneasy situation. Used to a dessert environment, the venue in the subtropical climate of Sabinal might be seen as something as environmental sabotage against the would be foes for the Marauders but after the disappointment of the opening fixture, the side will no doubt look to press every advantage that they can in order to try and get a victory. Their opposition though may be a bit distracted by the ongoing political crisis that their homeland is facing, with accusations of terrorism from abroad and potential military action being taken against their nation as fleets are deployed outside their waters. The team that travels to Sabinal to take on the Marauders are no doubt going to be having more than just a match of football on their mind and whether they are going to be able to advance into the knockouts of the competition, while the Marauders are going to be reeling from the surprise loss on the opening matchday.

This is going to be the national team's first official match in Sabinal, meaning that Sabinal Stadium is likely going to be packed for the Marauders first official match in the stadium and city. While it has been formally integrated into the Empire for a few decades now, it has taken some time for the sporting arena to match the ongoing politics, though it has been definitely helped with Club Atlético Bexar having been in the Premiership the last handful of seasons. The exposure of Sabine football has definitely helped with the talent from the island subcontinent making their way towards the larger clubs in the nation as well as funneling their way into the national team program. The like of Jaimes Ybarra, Pánfilo Veliz, and Selim Estrada Barrientos have made their impacts on the national team and their respective clubs in the domestic scene as well. It is likely that we are going to see Sabine football and sport at large continue to grow and become more streamlined over the coming years and perhaps they will even eventually be competing for the stardom that those born in Arrosia do. This match may end up being the key to having that player find their way into the spotlight, inspiring them to greatness, and the Marauders hopefully back into knockout contention.

[Squornshelan Remnant States]

Department of Defense, Chalesm, Squornshelan Remnant States

"General, thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I understand that your AORDO duties keep you exceptionally busy, now more than ever, but I appreciate the opportunity to clarify things more directly and informally than through official channels."

AORDO Air Deputy Chief of Staff, General Per Arlberg, once Colonel Per Arlberg of the Imperial Squornshelan Air Force, found himself in a surprisingly modest office. The fact that the Department of Defense offices had been designed and built over half a century ago likely had something to do with that. In his opinion though, it also spoke well of the woman across the desk from him. Too many politicians and bureaucrats, he found, seemed more concerned with the decor and furnishings of their spaces than doing their damn jobs. In a decades-long career as a staff officer in the Imperial armed forces he had seen more than his fill of teak and mahogany desks, hand-tooled leather armchairs, and whimsical bar carts. He found the utilitarian nature of this space refreshing, especially for the appointed overseer of a nation's military. Brushing a wayward strand of hair, more salt than pepper now, back into place, he responded.

"Of course Secretary Baluk. I always value our conversations. It's important for both AORDO and the Confederacy that we keep closely in touch."

"I agree. Escalation of the current situation seems inevitable, but I hope you and I are in agreement that the intensity of AORDO's response must be carefully measured."

"Caution is certainly always paramount when two military forces draw together, but I have a feeling you have more to say than just that."

Secretary of Defense of the Squornshelan Confederacy Khairiyya Baluk leaned back in her chair, fingers meshing together over the buckle of her belt as she regarded him over the tops of half-moon reading glasses.

"The Græntfjallers are firmly resolved to avenge the attack on their nation, justifiably. They are unlikely to simply pack up their fleet and head for home simply because of a strongly worded letter."

"I would not expect them to."

"Then let me be plain, General." She sighed and dropped her hands into her lap. "The Confederate military is in no fit state to contribute meaningfully to any show of force, much less participate in hostilities, or even peacekeeping. Your duties with AORDO have likely insulated you from the full scope of the dilemma facing us, but you are at least superficially familiar with the difficulties of the Post-Imperial situation?"

"You are referring to the disposal of Imperial hardware?"

"In some ways that is the least of our difficulties. Culling Imperial loyalists and war criminals from the ranks of the military continues to occupy massive administrative resources, and cataloguing and disposing of the truly disturbing number and variety of weapons the Imperium left behind eats up much of the rest. The staggering expense of maintaining the ex-Imperial navy would also have eaten up the Department's entire annual budget had we not immediately decommissioned half the fleet. There is little left over for much in the way of an expeditionary force. Should AORDO ask, the Confederacy can perhaps outfit a carrier battle group, but certainly no more than that."

"I did not realize the situation was quite so dire as that."

"In truth it's even worse, though what I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room."

"Of course."

"While we've kept a good accounting thus far of the nastier things the Imperium had hidden away, there are significant inventory discrepancies in more ordinary equipment. Rifles, Ammunition, Body Armor. Consecutive inventories show differences in the thousands without shipping orders, and without the missing units appearing in any other depot. The answer is all too obvious, unfortunately."

"Bratva."

"Precisely. Thousands of pieces of military equipment, even a squadron of armored hovercraft, have simply disappeared. We've convened a joint task force with the Department of Justice to track down those responsible, but the truth is that most of what's been stolen is probably already out of the country, and we can't rule out that Akhdari terrorists might have been armed with Squornshelan weapons."

"Shameless vultures. These smugglers should be prosecuted alongside the terrorists if that's true." Arlberg thought for a moment. He'd hoped to leave today's meeting with assurances to take back to AO Isle that the Confederacy, and the rather significant military might it had absorbed along with the territory of its former occupier, was firmly in his corner. Wishful thinking. Still, there was more to international relations than the mere weight of soldiers, ships, and aircraft. "I imagine President Dosun will be making a statement before much longer. She'll need to seed the ground if the populace are going to accept the deployment of a task force after such a long period of isolationism. A condemnation of the terrorists might make for a promising start, establish common ground with the Græntfjallers."

"It's not quite so simple."

"I don't see how not. Terrorism is evil, and we will not allow it, even if we object to unilateral action by an extraregional party."

"General, you are a career soldier, a career officer I might add, and sometimes I believe you see things too much in black and white."

Arlberg frowned, "Enlighten me."

"You will recall that up until your defection, the revolutionary forces you joined were labeled as terrorists, and in truth much of their campaign can be regarded as terrorism. There were civilian casualties, and some groups were not as discriminating in selecting their targets as many people would like to believe."

"You describe it in such sanitary terms, but I see the dead innocents between your words."

"There were civilian casualties in the war a century ago too, caused by both sides. There are civilian casualties in the thousands, the millions even in conventional wars. Shall we reclassify strategic bombing as terrorism? There are casualties in war, General, and not all of them are soldiers. This has always been the case."

"Is an undeclared, unjustifiable attack against civilian targets now classified as war? I call it murder."

"I don't refer only to the Steineaux Attack general. That, I agree, is indefensible. But poll Confederate citizens, even those on the Isle, and you might be surprised at what they're willing to justify if it serves a righteous cause."

"How fortunately then that I don't answer to them."

"Nor to me any longer, but you will recall that a portion of your funding does flow through me, and through the President, and we do answer to the people. You may consider the military situation separate from the political, but I assure you that the two are inextricable. Public opinion on these events is a swirling whirlpool that will drown the impulsive or the hesitant. The Akhdari government has long been despised, particularly since last AOCAF Cup thrust its excesses and abuses into the public eye, and the reaction of the people to the attack is of horror. But many people also oppose Græntfjall's military response, and the opportunistically authoritarian actions of their government since then. It will do no one any good for the nation to risk upheaval in the mid-term elections if the population loses confidence in the President."

Baluk stood and walked to examine the map of the Confederacy that dominated one wall of her office.

"After such a long time focused inward, fighting often for the very existence of this nation, the people are looking abroad with increasingly vehement disapproval. Some are calling for wholesale regime change in Jabal Akhdar. Others for the immediate interdiction of Græntfjall's second fleet and its escort beyond the borders of Atlantian Oceania. The only thing everyone seems to agree upon is that conflict should be avoided if at all possible."

"So, the world must learn our peaceful ways by force?"

Baluk laughed, "Not just yet, General. For the time being, expect a measured statement condemning the Steineaux Attack, but also military adventurism and authoritarianism of all stripes."

"I can work with that, Secretary. I hope you'll remind the Prime Minister though, that while Græntfjall's cause may be just today, should we allow them to occupy AO territory, the next nation to intervene here may be less noble in their motivations."

[Demot]

It was five for the best for the Dynamo as they cruised to a victory against Efnakia in Capri at the Hatire Memorial, as Demot won in an emphatic five to two scoreline to open up the tournament. Bryan Hernández lead the line for the dynamo, the Santa Rosa FC striker netting a hattrick in a fantastic performance that is sure to draw comparisons to David Masteron with the Dynamo faithful, the legendary center midfielder who helped navigate the Dyanmo to the Finals in only their second attempt at qualifying for the World Cup all those many long years ago. Adding their names to the scoresheet was Edgar Méndez and Gilbert Irwin, with Irwin capping off the scoring in the eighty-first minute, just six minutes after coming on as a second half substitute. It shows that there is still talent in the depths of the Dyanmo attack and that sort of depth could prove quite key if the Dyanmo have grand designs of a deep run into this edition of the regional championship.

This comes as a weird sort of feeling for the fans of the national team, as even at the height of their old prowess, the team had a very difficult go of it when it came to the regional championship. Having dispatched regional powers in the last few editions of the tournament to get to this lofty spot, it is unfamiliar ground almost and it does present the question if the Dynamo are well enough equipped to now handle the rigors that come with being a favorite. The team traditionally seems to have always done their best when they were at least slight if not significant underdogs, especially since they have now come out of their sporting isolation and have been entering the regional championship both with the national team at at the domestic level. With the national team now having the slight expectation of making it out of the group stages and perhaps even into the second knockout round, will they still be able to perform with the sort of style that had allowed them to quickly rise to this place in the first place?

With the emphatic victory to open the group stage, that question seems to be answered in the yes category, though the team should not get too ahead of themselves and start telling fans to try and buy tickets to a first knockout round tie. While unlikely, the team can still easily lose the last two matches in the group stages and be on the short plane ride back home to Skyhaven, the opening victory being nothing but a minor footnote in the annals of history and the tournament itself. The Dynamo travel to the capital of the Eternal Empire for the second of their group games and will be taking on fellow southwestern foes of Qasden, who are the other favorite of the group to advance into the knockout rounds. It will be a battle to see if the Dynamo attacking thrust can break through the efforts of Qasden in both defense as well as possession. The Dynamo might concede the possession statistic but if the attackers are on their game, they should hopefully be able to convert the chances they do create, which will hopefully be enough to see them past the other group favorites.

[95X]

The temperature and fan temperament in Farfadillis made the 95X preparation game in Scottfire look like a friendly match between friends in the park. But the new 95Xers were eager to take the field. With realistic expectations against all-powerful longtime adversary Vilita and Turori, they took the field with confidence despite the jeers and something about chocolate-flavored drinks that aren't mochas.

In the first half of the match, V&T's Derizi Amatopa let nothing get by, and the 95Xers stood blankly for a few moments each time wondering "how'd they catch that?" V&T built a three-zero lead before halftime.

Jadyn Pond, the first of all twenty-three players to refuse to wear number eleven out of respect for the past, got 95X onto the scorebook with a fluke shot that found its way through the confusion. Late in the match, 95X was awarded a free kick after some rough play for its other goal. It was the correct call yet even the hostile to 95X fans seemed to think it was an act of charity for an outclassed squad.

"You did better than a team that didn't try," Air Lakeleigh told his team after the nearly-expected defeat.

95X 2—Vilita and Turori 3
(Pond :52, Belmont :87—Katarakhna :9, Inkabu :24, Refiami :39)

[Farfadillis]

Farfadillis set non-ice Bisons ablaze
La Vherderoja put on an uncharacteristically solid display in their opening AOCAF Cup match against Gyatso-kai

Playing their opening match at La Fantás, Farfadillis' plurinational team was fortunate enough to be playing football, not hockey, and thus having a very good chance of starting the tournament with a win. Manguele's team took advantage of this fact by making the lads play not just football, but good football, securing a vital win against the group's second seeds.

Few will be able to fault Lele Manguele for starting Lêyêló Jáánsêlà on matchday one, as the Rulandese midfielder was the second-best player on the pitch, second only to his also-Rulandese partner in midfield, Ígnîgo Çí Xôrí, who was firing on all cylinders as he secured a brace.

The game was hardly a far cry from other one-sided affairs between the two teams, as Farfadillis have had especially good luck finding their form when facing the Bisonian contingent. La Vherderoja dominated possession throughout and squeezed the life out of the Bisons' offense. Gyatso-kai only managed two shots, though both were on target. Rogerio Defigueroa had as good a performance as possible (which does not mean too much, in this case) parrying both shots with ease.

Not everything was positive for Farfadillis, however. Against top-tier opposition, having strikers flubbing no less than 2.6 xG in chances will simply not suffice. Röémün Çídh, ever the mystery, once again appears to be facing the dichotomy that has defined his entire career: "do I pull off the worst tournament of a Farf striker in recent memory, or do I finish the tournament as top scorer?" We can only hope he will choose the latter option this tournament, but this first match has not been encouraging: he alone was responsible for missing 1.7 expected goals. It's good he's getting at the end of good chances but... well, you gotta put them away, right?

Besides Jáánsêlà's debut there was also Jôs Sürréo's. The Rulandese striker had only ten minutes to make a name for himself, with Farfadillis already two goals ahead and the Bisons having seemingly surrender already, but he nonetheless managed to impress, creating two clear-cut chances for the aforementioned Röémün Çídh thanks to his mazey dribbling style and low center of gravity. Despite the obvious difference in quality between the two, one can't help but draw comparisons with a certain other Dí Maozöxê youth product by the name of Xíxì Êns. If the kids keep putting up performances like this, we might see a lot turnover come next World Cup.

Unfortunately, it seems that so far the new generation of footballers has only produced great Rulandese players. We say it "seems" that way because it is patently untrue: Lele Manguele, much like most of his predecessors, seems to have pro-Ruland bias. There are exciting young players such as Bence Boissonade, a Szoirsian, and our very own Yonatoño de la Garza undeservedly sitting out these games, not getting a chance to impress themselves. And so the cycle perpetuates itself. One can't help but wonder if the national team wouldn't have had much more success over the decades with an anti-Ruland quota. Maybe Rulandese players are just early bloomers. Maybe we've missed out on a Faroleran Xíxì Êns. Maybe we've missed out on three. Food for thought.

[Fort McKinley]

continued from the previous post

Back in Mertagne, the four dissident McKinleans were welcomed into the consulate of Quebec, while a scramble ensued to get hold of the right people who would need to come into work on a late Saturday afternoon, in addition to getting the Embassy (and by extension, the Foreign Office in Joongyeong) involved. There really was no one who had experience with a person or people coming in off the street asking for political asylum.
Alexis Park was the Deputy Chief of Mission in Neorudo and was first to arrive, about 45 minutes after being informed. Strangely enough, she'd been watching the match between Ft McKinley and Kimi-Suomi at a pub with a group of people, so it was a bit surreal to be seated across a table from David Allen less than 90 minutes after seeing him limp off the pitch.
“This was not on my bingo card at the start of the day, I can assure you Mr Allen. We are happy to be of assistance to you whether it's asylum in the Royal Kingdom or elsewhere. Let's start some basic info, please.”

Alexis was quite impressed that this pair of couples had put as much planning and thought into arriving at this point; they described having financial resources stashed away to be able to live off for an extended period of time and each had 4-6 pieces of ID in lieu of not having their actual passports (but had photocopies of the front page/photo)

One question that cleared up a lot issues was what immediate danger the four of them would be in over the next 24-72 hours, which gave Dave a chance to explain that once the flights left for Fort McKinley, the chance of immediate problems would be practically zero; lack of reliable communication, absence of diplomatic relations, overall bureaucratic incompetence were just the three he came up with off the top of his head.

“So, why didn't you just go to a police station and declare yourselves asylum seekers to the local authorities?”
“We weren't absolutely sure how that would work. Would they detain us for a lengthy period, would they just throw us in a jail cell until someone got around to interviewing us? We were working off of what we know from Ft McKinley as to how police operate. An embassy or consulate has diplomatic protection, so it's not subject to a raid. And we know Quebec & Shingoryeo were once part of Atlantian Oceania, although it's hard to say that McKinley is really 'part of it'”--he used the actual scare quotes gesture--”but from our searching after arriving here, this was the closest diplomatic office to the stadium”

This interview lasted close to 45 minutes, and Alexis had the four moved from the conference room to a lounge where they could spread out and relax while she went to get guidance as to the next step.
________________________________________________________________________________

The Assistant Chief Constable of Neorudo listened to the report his event commander was giving over the phone, wondering how he was going to explain it to CC.

“You didn't offer a chance for this security man to view other camera footage from the city network?”
“He didn't ask. I think the fact four of them walked away shocked him so much that he decided get the rest of his people out of the country as soon as possible.”

“Do you think this is something we need to pursue right away? Is there an immediate danger to public safety?”
“Honestly, sir I don't think it requires urgent investigation. I will send over the footage so that we can establish who should be looked for on the city cams, but I doubt these people are a danger to anyone else, or will be in danger.”

“OK Rick, I am putting you in charge of follow-up at your discretion. I'll tell the CC that we should not treat this as an international incident until you have made inquiries.”
“Understood sir. Thank you sir.”
__________________________________________________________________________________

Marvin Jeon had arrived while Park was in the interview. He'd been Consul-General here in Neorudo for 15 months, and had a love-hate relationship with the assignment; it was a quiet posting—hence for the mixed feelings—but he'd found far more satisfaction from his previous stints in Commonwealth nations: Charge d'affaires in Istria and Khenikech as well as a stint in the same role as his current deputy in Endborough.
But a real defector situation was something to get out of bed for, figuratively speaking. When Alexis knocked on his door 25 minutes after he had sat down at his desk, he was fully engaged and ready learn what she knew.

“So Lex, it's four of them from Ft McKinley?”
“Yeah. David Allen, the soccer player along with his partner Leslie, his sister Katherine and her partner Jason. All have stated affirmatively that they wish to renounce their citizenship and be granted asylum as political refugees. According to Allen the remainder of the traveling party, consisting of the playing staff and immediate family of those, will seek to leave as quickly as possible to return home. The inability to have secured communication to and from Fort McKinley makes it an untenable situation.”

“Tell me some more about what they told you.”

[Farfadillis]

Matchday 2

Group A
Canadian Dominion 1–2 Equestria
Valanora 2–0 Jabal Akhdar

- Group A              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Equestria              2   1  1  0    3   2  +1    4
2 Valanora               2   1  0  1    2   1  +1    3
3 Canadian Dominion      2   1  0  1    2   2   0    3
4 Jabal Akhdar           2   0  1  1    1   3  −2    1

Group B
Sea Dome 1–3 Tropicorp
Mlima Kijani 2–3 Banija

- Group B              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Tropicorp              2   1  1  0    3   1  +2    4
2 Banija                 2   1  1  0    3   2  +1    4
3 Mlima Kijani           2   1  0  1    6   4  +2    3
4 Sea Dome               2   0  0  2    2   7  −5    0

Group C
Demot 1–2 Qasden
Efnakia 5–1 Verceola

- Group C              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Qasden                 2   2  0  0    3   1  +2    6
2 Demot                  2   1  0  1    6   4  +2    3
3 Efnakia                2   1  0  1    7   6  +1    3
4 Verceola               2   0  0  2    1   6  −5    0

Group D
Baker Park 1–3 Kimi-Suomi
Wreckeria 1–3 Delaclava

- Group D              Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Kimi-Suomi             2   2  0  0    5   2  +3    6
2 Baker Park             2   1  0  1    6   4  +2    3
3 Delaclava              2   1  0  1    4   3  +1    3
4 Wreckeria              2   0  0  2    2   8  −6    0

[Valanora]

Matchday 2

Group E
Gyatso-kai 4–3 Romsten
Farfadillis 1–2 The Cordian Isles

P Group E                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 The Cordian Isles                2   2  0  0    6   4  +2    6
2 Farfadillis                      2   1  0  1    3   2  +1    3
3 Gyatso-kai                       2   1  0  1    4   5  −1    3
4 Romsten                          2   0  0  2    6   8  −2    0

Group F
Vilita & Turori 0–0 Milchama
95X 0–1 Busoga Islands

P Group F                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Vilita & Turori                  2   1  1  0    3   2  +1    4
2 Busoga Islands                   2   1  1  0    2   1  +1    4
3 Milchama                         2   0  2  0    1   1   0    2
4 95X                              2   0  0  2    2   4  −2    0

Group G
Oontaz Dert Li Ng 0–0 Squornshelan Remnant States
Heller Turn 2–6 Pluvia and the Saxean Isles

P Group G                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Oontaz Dert Li Ng                2   1  1  0    2   1  +1    4
2 Squornshelan Remnant States      2   1  1  0    1   0  +1    4
3 Pluvia and the Saxean Isles      2   1  0  1    6   3  +3    3
4 Heller Turn                      2   0  0  2    3   8  −5    0

Group H
Sarzonia 3–1 Hapilopper
Al-Tamazgha 1–2 Fort McKinley

P Group H                        Pld   W  D  L   GF  GA  GD  Pts 
1 Sarzonia                         2   2  0  0    8   2  +6    6
2 Fort McKinley                    2   1  0  1    5   5   0    3
3 Hapilopper                       2   1  0  1    5   6  −1    3
4 Al-Tamazgha                      2   0  0  2    2   7  −5    0

[Sarzonia]

A team employing a new manager typically goes through some growing pains. This is true whether the manager takes over a team with its competition already in progress or they start out with a brand new team or before a team gathers for its first days of training.

When the new manager decides to employ a different set of tactics, time together in training becomes essential to success. New players have to integrate with an existing team. The players already there often have to learn new ways of doing things, for instance a sweeper might have to learn a four-back defensive system or a fullback might have to adapt to a system that calls for different strategies.

Brady Reynolds didn't have the luxury of sitting with his managerial staff and implementing all the nuances of his more defence-oriented system, devise tactics for the three teams the Stars would compete against in Farfadillis in Group H, or seek players who were more acclimated to his style than they were Nathan Hanifer's more offensive-minded tactics. He and the rest of the Sarzonian national football team were essentially told at the last minute to gather for a hastily-assembled training camp in Woodstock before the trip to Farfadills. It wasn't ideal, as Reynolds spent several hours arguing with Incorporated Football Federation Chairman Zack Wilson and even Vice President for Health and Athletics Carter Marshall.

"We're coming here behind the eight-ball," Reynolds fumed in his first interview with Hanifer in the latter's role as a colour analyst for Sarzonian national team football matches. "Normally, we have more of a chance to make sure our system works with the players we've got or deciding which new ones to add to our team. Now we're dancing with who we brung to the gym."

You wouldn't know the haphazard nature of the team's assembly for the 67th AOCAF by the results through two matchdays. Sarzonia rolled Hapilooper 3-1 behind one-goal, one-assist efforts by forward Jake Campos and midfielders Ernie Mabree and Clayton Wilson and a four-save night in goal by Carlton Sandt. The two easy wins leave Sarzonia as one of just four teams with two wins from two matches, and Sarzonia's plus-six goal differential is three better than Group D leaders Kimi-Suomi and Group G's Pluvia and the Saxean Isles, who routed Heller Turn 6-2 in their most recent match to put themselves in that position despite being third in the table after a 1-0 loss to Squornshelan Remnant States.

The Stars will close out the group stage against Ft. McKinley all but assured of a spot in the Round of 16 barring an epic collapse. Hapilooper will play their final match against an Al-Tamazgha side that is all but mathematically eliminated from knockout round contention. However, Reynolds isn't ready to play the depth players significant minutes.

"We don't believe in letting our foot off the petrol in terms of whom we start and what we expect from our players," he said. "We haven't officially clinched our spot. If we did, we might make a different decision." Reynolds admitted, however, that the intensity "might not be the same" if the Stars build a lead against Fort McKinley, even though a draw in the final match would be enough to progress as Group H winners. He said that he still expected his team to play for the full three points.

"Sarzonians aren't satisfied with draws, and we've learned over the years that playing for a draw is a great way to ensure that you get your ass beat," he said. "I'd rather we play for a win and end up with a draw than try to play for a draw and then suddenly have to ramp up the intensity if we're down a goal late."

As for his team's performance in spite of the lack of training time, Reynolds credited the players.

"They know what they're doing," he said. "They've been in interesting positions before." Reynolds wouldn't comment on reports that the Incorporated Football Federation was considering disbanding the team and focusing solely on domestic football or perhaps hosting either the Jenna Raven Cup or the NS World Cup of Masters.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. That decision's out of my jurisdiction." He gave an exasperated look and shook his head, leaving the press conference after the team's sports information director called an end to the proceedings. After he walked back to his office in the bowels of the stadium, Reynolds shut the door and angrily swung at the punching bag he'd put up to let out the stress of what he originally thought would be a loss to Hapilooper. Instead, it was the swing of a manager who knew his real work of trying to convince the IFF to reconsider a decision he dreaded was coming was only just beginning.

[Gyatso-kai]

.:: Central Military Command of the Republic Armed Forces, Junshi District, Republic City, Gyatso-kai ::.
2248 hours local time, 1 August 2022.3

Finding himself roaming the halls of the Headquarters of the Republic Armed Forces – formally known as the Central Military Command of the Republic Armed Forces, while colloquially known as “The Shield” – was something that always made Avatar Aang slightly uncomfortable. Sure, you could say it was the twenty-minute underground bullet train ride that had him disorientated. Sure, you could say it ewas the last two hours spent talking and debating with very little water to drink that had him feeling uncomfortable. Even still, it was something far more instinctual that had the Avatar walking with prayer beads in his palms and his head cast down. For the Avatar, he had grown up a monk in an Air Temple to the far east of the Avatarian Republics; spending the first sixteen years of his life dedicated to the principles and practices of the Avatarian sect of Buddhism. This presented a unique challenged, as while he had been officially the Avatar for near-fifty years, Aang still felt most at odds in his role as the Commander-in-Chief of Atlantian Oceania’s fourth most advanced defence force₁. He had been taught since birth about the sanctity of life and to always follow the path of non-violence.

Yet, essentially with a wave of his hand, he could wipe out all life in Gyatso-kai thanks to the myriad of nuclear weapons at his disposal.

Not that he would… but it was a sobering thought…

As he continued to walk towards the arranged meeting room, passing by elaborate portraits of the Republics’ military history, Aang could not help but find himself lost in thought about the current situation; as presented to him by the Ministry of Defence, the Office of Republic Intelligence, as well as several delegates from around Atlantian Oceania, it was clear that the Queendom of Græntfjall had begun plans to launch drone attacks from within Atlantian Oceania from their own naval ships₂. This retributional attack – which was in response to supposed ‘terrorist attacks’ carried out by family members of the ruiling family in Jabal Ahkdar in the Græntfjaller city of Steineaux – stemmed from the belief that the Desert Emirate was either directly responsible for the attack or were a willing party to providing sanctuary for those who carried out the attack and lived to retreat.

Summed up at best… the Queendom was preparing to invade AO.

The Avatarian Republics, at their core, had always been an isolationist nation; while maintaining an extensive network of military assets on both land and sea, as well as maintaining an aerial fighting force able to lockdown the entire Avatarian landmass, for generations, Gyatso-kai simply did not interfere with the outside multi-verse. Sure, there were exceptions – the founding of several embassies as the nation became more and more exposed to the multi-verse thanks to the prowess of the men’s hockey and football national teams, the Ponyist Relocation in 2012.2₃ that saw the emergency rescue of 72,000+ ponyists from El Bondel – yet by and large, Gyatso-kai kept to itself and maintaining the security of the thirteen major islands of the Republics and all the surrounding minor islands.

Coming up to the massive wooden doors of the meeting room, Avatar Aang made eye contact with the five guards positioned on the outside of them. Each of them wore the traditional armor of the Grand Army of the Republic – specifically the regalia and markings of the Avatarian Guard within the First Territorial Army – yet unlike so many of the troopers you would see inside of The Shield, these men kept their full-face helmets on while carrying rather heavy arms for ‘security’. Of course, when the Avatar glanced to the right and left of the guards, he could see the six flags for each of the branches of the Republic Armed Forces – the Grand Army of the Republic, the Republic Navy, the Republic Amphibious Deployment Corps, the Republic Air Defence Force, the Republic Space Strategic Force, and the Republic Coast Guard – stationed behind the men, as well the flag of the Chairman of the Council of Five.

The Council is already here… Well, at least there will be some familiar faces, smirked Aang to himself as he stepped towards the doors. When he got within two metres, the centre guard – wearing the pauldron and rank symbol of a Sergeant Major – stepped forward with his weapon slung to the side.

”Your Holiness.” his voice echoed over the vocoder in the helment and into the hall.

”Sergeant Major,” Aang spoke, clearing his throat knowing the phrase he had to speak to gain entry. ”As the spirits will it, allow me safe passage.”

“As the spirits will it, I shall secure your passage,” the Sergeant Major answered back, before lowering his head slightly, and the doors behind him opening. As the doors opened, the other guards took up defensive positions from the doors, and as soon as the doors were wide enough for entry, it became clear that two more guards per door were opening the door, while an additional two guards per side were securing the entryway from within. Aang never liked this level of meeting – rated Level Three on a five-level scale – as it meant the nation was on the brink of action that, a pacifist monk would prefer to have warm tea and calm discussions over.

Rather than stare down a loaded barrel…

”Avatar Aang, you grace us yet again,” spoke the oldest man in the room. Situated near the center, his toughened hands skimmed through his all-white head of hair before he stood to bow. Aang was quicker, and with a flick of his hand, the man began to sit and the others followed suit. The meeting had been adjourned for about thirty minutes, over which Aang had spent pacing the halls. From a quick count as walked to his seat, the nine other people present at the table were all accounted for. Aang had known most of these people for decades, having appointed them to the Council of Five throughout his life, and had been speaking to them at length for just about two hours. The Council of Five, who themselves made up part of the Central Military Commission, were the top military officials in their respective branches; each having served for countless years and possessing untold knowledge. Unlike most nations, where a Ministry for Defence or some equal authority was in charge of the military, in Gyatso-kai, the Ministry for Defence was instead charged with assuring continual support for the military in the Executive Branch of the Avatarian government, as well as acting as a liaison office with foreign military ministries.

Basically… The Ministry does the talking, the Commission does the walking.

”General Chan,” Aaang bowed slightly at the man across from him. ”Let’s dispense with the formalities and get back to the meeting.”

“Of course, Avatar,” General Chan Kong-sang spoke as he settled into his chair. Chan was an impressive man, of the northern Earth Kingdom City of Chaomai; known for their bastion walls and the history as one of the only five Earth Kingdoms not conquered during The Great War, Chan came from a long line of military veterans and generals, and took his role as the Chairman of the Council with great seriousness. ”As I was, two matchdays have passed and there has been no action taken by the Queendom in response to the allegations against Jabal…

“Allegations that do bear great weight,” interrupted Brigadier General Hua Shufen, the Council Member for the Grand Army of the Republic, shifting her own weight and leaning forward onto the table. ”We cannot ignore these allegations in these discussions, as I have said multiple times to ears drowned by war drums.”

Chan bristled slightly, looking to Hua before turning back to the Avatar. ”Allegations with weight are still allegations. We are not here to debate the validity of the allegations, but instead we are here to defend regional sovereignty from an abject threat.”

“We cannot simply allow another nation to station a heavy fleet off our regional neghbor’s waters and just turn a blind eye,” spoke Admiral Fong Suen. ”To think the Queendom feels the right to post a battle group within striking distance and expect no retaliation…”

“We do not know how they feel, or if they are doing anything other than grandstanding,” Chan was quick to try and bring the group back in control. It was clear to Aang, and to anyone else in earshot, that the Council was already divided on how to address this situation. To Aang, the matter was not cut and dry; if Græntfjall had just issued strong words and empty promises, this meeting would have never been called and Aang would be getting ready for bed, his wife asleep in the room already and dreading the next day she had to spend with her brother’s in-laws. Instead, there was grandiose speeches, promises of revenge, and now, as far as all the military intel could tell, a mass of ships were sitting off the coast of Jabal Ahkdar.

”What about word from AORDO?” Aang spoke, turning his attention to the man on his right. Lieutenant Tang Tor’audhr was no small man, and he seemed to move a mountain as he adjusted and turned to the Avatar. He was the liaison for Gyatso-kai to AORDO, having ran for the AORDO Command position of Chief of Air Forces back in 2021.2, which ended with a virtual tie between himself and the Squorn representative. He had previously served as the Director of the Ministry for Defence’s Intelligence Agency, which as a part of the Office of Republic Intelligence, meant the man had a security clearance that even Aang felt a bit uneasy around. Aang had appointed him as the Avatarian choice for the AORDO position as Tang had a strong sense of regional pride and the desire to defend it at all costs, so he knew the man's position on this matter having spoken to him before the meeting. Tang wanted to send troops, Tang wanted to fire warning shots across every Queendom vessel and warn them such an approach on sovereignty should not, and would not, be tolerated.

Thankfully, cooler heads would prevail here... Hopefully...

”There have been calls for mobilization, as well as more tame calls for words of support. Not much else, I’m afraid.” Tang spoke matter-of-factly, adjusting his green sleeves on his jacket and rolling his shoulder, wishing for something to grasp onto that showed the right path. His softly spoken words betrayed a sense of relief… No one wanted to go to war, no one wanted to shed blood in the name of national sovereignty.

And yet… that was a real possibility at the moment. Aang knew his words and choices would be seen through the lens of history in the coming years, and to simply just ignore what was going on in the waters north of AORDO headquarters on AO Isle would just not sit well with Aang looking back on his life.

”It is your call, Avatar.” Chan spoke, placing his palms on the table and looking to the Avatar. The other men and women at the table were just as unsettled, and Aang knew whatever he said would not garnish unanimous support.

”Very well. Mobilise the Third Battle Group out of the Fifth Fleet. Prepare our eastern airfields for any support missions or housing of regional air forces that may be required. I would rather our forces be ready for nothing than caught off-guard and unable to answer any calls for aid. Get us in better contact with any other AORDO forces that may want to do more than just rattle a jian and puff their chests out. We must defend our region, and let it be known that no nation can simply step foot unwelcomed onto Atlantian soil and get a pat on the shoulder.”

Rattle a jian… I hope that is all this is…

---

[1] As determined by NationStates Census – HERE
[2] Operation Storm of Lights Bane, posted by Graintfjall in Copa Rushmori – HERE
[3] – Ponies of Freedom – the rescue of countless innoncent persecuted ponyists and their arrival to the ARoG – HERE

[Pluvia and the Saxean Isles]

Lord Steward announces deployment of warplanes to Gyatso-Kai in view of Græntfjaller incursion

Following terrorist attacks in their major city of Steinaux, Græntfjall has deployed a significant naval and aerial force in the region of Jabal Akhdar, whom they blame for sheltering the alleged masterminds of the attack. Elements of Græntfjall's Second Fleet are anchored in international waters, but ships designed for shallower waters and vehicles that could operate on land have also been spotted, leading to speculation that Græntfjall might consider an invasion of Jabal Akhdar. In light of this, Lord Steward Nicholas Bell (N-L Framingham West) has announced that the Ministry of Defense will deploy warplanes to Gyatso-Kai.

Gyatso-Kai, a nation to Pluvia's north and north-east of Jabal Akhdar, has traditionally been an isolationist nation, much like PSI's own policy of "security at home first." However, their military has long been regarded as extensive, well-trained, and capable of projecting force across land, sea, and air - if they wished it. Up until now, they have been much less willing to utilise that force, but with the arrival of substantial Græntfjaller forces in the region, that position is changing. According to Bell, the Avatarian Republic has prepared its eastern airfields for the arrival of Pluvian aircraft. The planes to be deployed are AA-Eagle2 strike fighters, the top-of-the-line Pluvian aircraft capable of dogfighting, providing air support, and engaging in anti-ship operations. The specific group of planes being deployed is the No.3 Fighter Squadron of Expeditionary Air Wing No. 1, which is part of Falcon Group, the external air combat group of His Majesty's Air Force, and is commanded by Squadron Leader Major Otto Stromberg.

Græntfjall claims that Prince Hakim el-Masri is the mastermind behind the Steinaux attack and leader of the terrorist el-Masri network and has demanded that the Akhdari government surrender him to their custody. So far, Crown Prince Siddeeqi Ghaazi el-Masri, ruler of Jabal Akhdar, has been openly defiant in refusing to hand over his cousin. The issue of Jabal Akhdar has split the ruling coalition of the National-Liberals and the Radicals before. The Radical Party, led by Lord Ambassador Aliza Davies, dislikes the autocratic nature of the Akhdari government and has criticised them on women's rights before, while the National-Liberals have traditionally viewed the survival of the Akhdari monarchy as a necessary condition for the survival of Pluvia's own monarchy. Nevertheless, the National-Liberals take a hard line against terrorism and have their fair share of Akhdari skeptics, even having had to discipline a former deputy for warning too stridently about the dangers of "radical Islamic terrorism." It's safe to say that neither party is particularly friendly towards Jabal Akhdar, and the Radicals have been skeptical of military intervention before, but they both realise Græntfjall action in the region isn't a desirable state. Still, look for the Radicals to get a vote on boutique tax credits or some other priority in exchange for this.

The Lord Steward's statement is below:

"We unequivocally condemn the terrorist attacks in Steinaux. Our thoughts and prayers have been with Græntfjall since the day of these attacks and the Lord Ambassador has already been working with private charities on a potential aid package for the affected area. We support Græntfjall's desire for justice and to bring the perpetrators and their backers into court where they may be appropriately punished. However, we cannot countenance a large Græntfjaller military presence in Atlantian Oceania any more than any of our regional partners can. The proximity to AO Isle, Vilita & Turori, and the all-important shipping lane of the Aethyrean Channel between Calania and Azeruia render the incursion of Græntfjaller troops unacceptable.

Therefore, the Lord Commander has instructed the Ministry of Defense to deploy twelve AA-Eagle2 strike fighters to Gyatso-Kai in the unlikely event that they are required for action. We are co-ordinating closely with AORDO and the Avatarian Republic to ensure maximum deterrence capability in the affected region. We do not anticipate that the use of these fighters will be necessary, but we are committed to the principle of non-interference in regional affairs by outside nations. We still stand ready to offer Græntfjall legal and intelligence co-operation in preventing another terrorist attack, and we do not condone sheltering terrorists. We simply find it unacceptable for a foreign military force to deployed so brazenly in AO territory."

Magpies thrash Heller Turm to get back on track at AOCAF

It was a pretty limp opening to the 67th AOCAF for the PSI national team, as the Magpies fell 1-0 to the Squornshelan Confederacy. A bare three shots on goal and a desultory forty percent of possession didn't exactly inspire confidence going into the team's next match. In fact, were it not for the excellent defense provided by the back line and the efforts of center midfielder Marius Bohlen, it might have easily been 3-0. So there was a sense of urgency as the Magpies prepared to take on newcomers Heller Turm, themselves 2-1 losers to the Sultanate of Oontaz. Saviglais manager Laurent Chambéry said before the game, "This is absolutely a must-win game. A draw is as good as a loss, and we do not intend to play any 'dead rubbers' in this tournament."

That urgency was on display from the early moments of the game, as Rory Goldberg found the back of the net in just the seventh minute of play. Attacking midfielder Davis Kingsley slipped him a perfect through ball, which he slotted in behind the Heller Turm keeper with ease. Fewer than twenty minutes later, Kingsley himself would score a goal. Burly forward Carsten Francke was taken down just outside the penalty box by a Heller Turm defender, leading to a dangerous free kick. Kingsley proved how dangerous conceding a free kick from that area was by lifting a ball over the wall and curling it just past the outstretched fingertips of the keeper. At 2-0, it was an excellent start for the Magpies.

Francke then would add on in the 37th minute. Hanging out just inside the midfield circle as Tristan Baumeister dispossessed a Heller Turm forward, he shouted loudly, drawing Baumeister's attention. The two timed their movements perfectly to avoid an offside call, and Baumeister's kick sailed down toward the Heller Turm end. Francke beat the last defender to the ball, found himself one-on-one with the keeper, and blasted a trademark powerful line drive that sizzled past and struck home, making it 3-0 with eight minutes and stoppage time to go in the first half. And yet, there was more before the first half ended. The Magpies were controlling the ball in the Heller Turm end, and it came to Rory Goldberg. Through some fancy footwork, he created space for himself inside the penalty box and put the ball in the back of the net for the second time that game. At 4-0, it seemed like the sense of urgency and the play on the field matched up.

The second half saw goals from Connor Robinson (a header from a corner kick) in the 64th minute and substitute forward Adam MacKay of Racing in the 87th minute (assisted by Bohlen), making the total for the Magpies six goals in the game. It was an emphatic way to earn their first three points of AOCAF 67, and much-needed. After the game, Chambéry said he was "pleased with the offensive effort, but two goals in the second half could be fatal in another game. We need to focus better, even when we're winning." Indeed, Heller Turm scored in the 58th and 77th minutes, cutting the deficit to 4-1 and 5-2, respectively, but it ultimately proved to be not enough, given the Magpies' large first-half lead. In the other game of the group, Oontaz and the Squornshelans played to a scoreless draw. This leaves those two teams tied atop the standings at four points each. In the final game of the group stage, the Magpies will play the Sultanate, and the Confederacy will take on Heller Turm. A draw simply will not work for the national team, as that would leave them short of Oontaz at five points to four. The Magpies would have to rely on a winless Heller Turm side to defeat Squornshelous in order to advance on goal differential (points being level on four each), as a draw for the Confederacy would also result in them going ahead at five points to four. Therefore, the Magpies will have to turn on the jets in the same way they did against Heller Turm and defeat Oontaz. A win would put them on six points, ahead of Oontaz and even potentially ahead of Squornshelous if Heller Turm were to hold them to a draw. But regardless of the result of the other game, the strategy is simple: win and you're in.

Heller Turm 2-6 Pluvia and the Saxean Isles

Goalscorers: Goldberg 7', Kingsley 25', Francke 37', Goldberg 43', Robinson 64', MacKay 87'

[The Cordian Isles]

Kristin Bergstrin picked up the ball, which had been sent wide, very luckily she might add, by Farfadillis' Vâásk Çêwé after Frederick Johnson had screwed up his challenge, leaving Çêwé effectively one-on-one with Bergstrin. He must have been surprised, or felt the pressure, or something. Bergstrin imagined that the pressure felt by a striker with five minutes to go in a knotted-up match was similar to the stress she experienced facing shots in the same situation. She'd also taken a few steps forward to cut down on the angle, but there'd still been so damn much net. Çêwé had rushed his shot, so the score stayed at 1-1 here in the 86th... now 87th minute. Bergstrin put the ball down and set to looking for targets to pass to. This job was harder with so damn much noise. They didn't mess around here at La Fantás, though the shouts of the fans were as much cheering for the hosts as they were decrying Çêwé's miss. Unable to find anyone further out, Bergstrin sent the ball up to Lucia Verkerk down the left side...

... Verkerk received the pass and two-tapped it out to Redvin Chase in the center, having already surveyed her surroundings and finding a hole in the Farfadillis press, which had come pretty high with the hosts desperate to avoid the embarrassment of losing to a team with two cycles - a little over five years - of existence under its belt. Verkerk pushed forward, though noted the positions of the Farf attackers. With such an aggressive side, things could change at any moment and it wouldn't pay to be caught off-guard...

... Chase immediately found himself under pressure from the right as a Farf striker sprinted in to put pressure on him, and he frantically looked around for a target. The Farf midfielders knew how to play defense, and with five of them to Cordia's four, Chase was having a hard time seeing anybody to hit with a pass. Almost as the Farf striker reached him, he lofted a desperate pass that qualified more as a dump than anything over the heads of the midfielders. Chase soon found himself on the ground. Figured; he'd been a bit physical so far this match and was being repaid in kind...

... Sebastian Voll managed to outsprint a Farf back to the ball, which had fallen close to the left sideline halfway down the Farf side of the field. He quickly made a move toward the net and the back went to defend, but instead Voll stepped back and surveyed the options; he had little chance of driving to the net from here. Seeing Gunnvor Nieminen, the new addition to the senior squad, sprinting past the Farf midfielder that had been marking him a few seconds before, he fired a pass out to Nieminen that saw an ill-prepared Farf back line find itself well out of position. Voll was impressed with the kid. He hadn't even been on the roster last cycle, but a standout season for Cordasfjord and signing for Bavingtor had seen a lot of hype begin to surround the 21-year-old, who still might be eligible to play at the next Di Bradini Cup depending on timing. And that first start against Romsten had been incredible... wait, everybody's screaming now, what the fuck just happened...? Oh my fucking god...

... Nieminen picked up Voll's pass in stride, sprinting towards the Farf goal line with their backline well out of position. Their right back had been going after Sebastian, which opened up Nieminen's left to threaten for a goal. He did just that, but found the Farf center back and keeper well-positioned to block a shot. But Nieminen caught a flash of white beyond the Farfs, and sent a cross over their heads to Anton Osterholt...

... Osterholt took one touch to tap in what would become one of the biggest goals in Cordian history, then pulled off his shirt and screamed as he was mobbed by teammates in white jerseys. The match wasn't over yet, not by a long shot, but a win now looked very, very likely for the North Stars, and beating Farfadillis on their home turf? Something to be proud of, that's for damn certain.

[Kimi-Suomi]

Welcome back to Huuhkajat football and everyone associated with Kimi-Suomi knew that things were going to be tough today. Getting that 2-1 win over Delaclava certainly felt good in the race to escape from this group and Esko Laaksonen was certainly happy with what was produced out in Raynor City that day, but THE bigger test was certainly on the way for Huuhkajat and it would come in the form of three simple words - Baker Parkin Kansainyhteisö, the Commonwealth of Baker Park. The Bees are certainly one of the big boys in the WCC, let alone the AOCAF in general, and Jennifer Prescott was certainly expected to not hold back at all no matter what.

Facing off against the new home for some of our players domestically at Sabinal Stadium was certainly expected to be a challenge and, as expected, the Bees would take the lead through Captain Ayana West in the 17th. That goal would stand until halftime, but we at least had some chances that would help build confidence in the potential for a result. And then, to start the 2nd half, the Tuominen twins were subbed on. Both Annina and Maria were contracted to a Baker Park club called Far Hills Coed FC and as such, they held some understanding of how CBP football is played...and decided to use that mindset against them here. They would become playmakers almost instantly and would contribute to the madness that was to come. Annina and Maria linked up with each other in the 56th to tie up the game, Annina allowing Maria to head the ball past Rose McCormack, before bot would work towards creating the biggest result in our football history. Annina found Kimi Airo in the 74th to give us the unlikely lead before Maria found substitute Jyrki Bottas in the 81st to punctuate the upset once and for all. Kimi-Suomi, a team ranked around the 80s in the WCC, had knocked off a top-tier side in CBP...and that certainly felt good.

Only winless Tuhoajainen, also known as Wreckeria, remain in our way - a rebuilding nation we will see more of in the NSSCRA season to come. No matter what happens, we will be into the playoffs...but managing to make it through unbeaten would be ihan vitun siistiä. NOSTA KUIN HUUHKAJAT!

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SCHEDULE/AJOITTAA (Group/Ryhmä D - Valanora)
MD1: vs Delaclava - Hellgate, Raynor City W/V 2-1 (2nd)
MD2: vs Baker Parkin Kansainyhteisö [Commonwealth of Baker Park] - Sabinal Stadium, Sabinal W/V 3-1 (1st)
MD3: vs Tuhoajainen [Wreckeria] - Hellgate, Raynor City

[Delaclava]

Interview with captain Lukas Meyer in the post-game Delaclav media scrum following a 3-1 victory over Wreckeria

Lukas, what did you think of the game today?

It was a lot better for us. We were way more aggressive, our timing and execution was better. It's the kind of game we want to play against a team we know we're better than.

What adjustments did you have to make to have this result?

Not a lot really. Just keep applying forward pressure, but be patient and don't get discouraged. Our first few ventures forward were kind of fruitless, but that didn't deter us.

You had two goals tonight for the effort, were there any changes you made?

I think we all felt a little flat when we first got here. We warmed up and prepared better for today. To be honest, I don't play a ton with Odie and it's been a while since I've been in that striker position. We were at odds trying to figure things out, but it was more natural today. And I think we tried to think more creatively, in terms of left and right, or overlapping positions. It was a lot less predictable for their defense.

You've got Baker Park next, what are your thoughts?

Yeah, they're really tough. It'll be interesting because I think we'll be a lot hungrier than they are, and they'll just be trying to hold form.

They lost.

Nooo... really?

So the winner of the game will make it through. And they're in with a draw.

Huh, interesting. Well, that's a shame. It really should be the two of us making it through. A team like Kim-Sum isn't good for the game. But we're going to have a blast, a real AO battle to try to press forward in this tournament.

This is a matchup you mentioned you'd be looking forward to, does this change the future of Delaclava in AOCAF?

Are you stupid? One little game isn't going to change any of the politics, the cultural considerations. Why don't you let those people take care of that. We're always going to play the teams in front of us.

President Anna Voss has spoken admiringly of you and your contribution to Delaclav culture recently. Have you spoken with her recently, and is that part of your hesitation to discuss these kinds of issues?

You all are soccer writers. Write about that.

[Commonwealth of Baker Park]

Questions for the Prime Minister, Tuesday 2 August, 12:20 pm

Mr Speaker (David Kosik): "Thank You. Order. Questions for the Prime Minister, Mark Bittner."
Mark Bittner (F-Belle Haven Southeast): "Thank you Mr Speaker, can my very distinguished friend update the Assembly about the current situation in the Vilitan Cove?"
The Prime Minister [Rebecca Schoenlein (F-Coolville North)]: Mr Speaker, my distinguished colleague must've drawn the short straw among a group that was asked to sacrifice their issue to speak for the entire body (disruption), and of course I am prepared to do just as he asks. I beg leave of the Chair to proceed under the 10 minute Rule?"
Mr Speaker: "Without Objection, so ordered"
Prime Minister: "The Minister of State for Defense returned from the two day meeting of the Regional Defense Organization's defense ministers late last night and forwarded to me the minutes of what was discussed along with what plans have been agreed to by the military leadership, which includes our own General McKinney, Commander of the National Guard.
We--and I speak of our regional allies--demand that the Græntfjall Second Fleet withdraw from their current position. There does seem to be, Mr Speaker, a general lack of understanding in Rushmore that there are Multiversal Maritime Conventions and Laws and that their regional navies are not exempt from them.
One only has to look back at the Nyowani Kitara situation, where a nation with no maritime rights in the immediate area took it upon themselves to unilaterally blockade access to ports in a separate sovereign nation. (disruption)
Prime Minister Michaelsdóttir and I have spoken over the telephone in the past, she could've called me or any number of leaders in the region to ask for our help. Perhaps she believes that Atlantian Oceania is leaderless, is decentralized to a point where there is no real consensus among our nations.

If she thought that, she has made a grave miscalculation. (disruption)
We also declare that we will enforce a no fly zone over the entire Vilitan Cove and western Calania. There are nations in this region that are dedicated to non aggression and non intervention that are prepared to forgo that foreign policy to defend Jabal Akhdar. From far and wide the support comes: Pluvia and the Saxean Isles, Gyatso-kai, Squornshelous, Busoga Islands, Banija, Milchama.

I will finish on this point Mr Speaker, the nations of this region abhor the terrorist threat, we are united in our revulsion and our compassion for the innocent lives lost in Græntfjall and more recently in Mlima Kijani. We would rather use the resources we are marshalling to fight these groups that believe they are acting in the name of Islam, profaning the teaching of the Prophet, than threatening a nation which a large number of this region's countries consider a friend. (disruption) Disengage and allow us to help you achieve justice rather than act unilaterally, which is vigilantism. I cede the balance of my time Mr Speaker (disruption)
Mr Speaker: Order.

[Vilita and Turori]

---

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VOIA Internal Report :: With threats of conflict increasing in and around Jabal Akhdar, the AORDO Senior Command met on AOIsle to assess the line of succession in the absence of Field Marshal Reinhard Drachmann who drew the straw as the remote attendee to ensure that all council members were not present in a single room at time of conflict.

Due to the proximity of AOisle to Jabal Akhdar, it was considered that the council may meet again not on AOisle but at the continuity of operations site in Bukusuma, Banija.

One matter for the council was to determine nominees for the position of AORDO General and AORDO Lieutenant General - a new position being formalized for the purpose of operational continuity.

Current AORDO General - the Field Marshal Reinhard Drachmann of Siovanija & Teusland will be eligible for re-nomination and will be considered automatically as a candidate for the role. Should Drachmann decline or be out-voted, they will move into the role of Emiritus General, which would retain a non-voting but influential position on the Council.

AORDO Headquarters

[AOI] AOIsland, Aoisle, AO Isle, Atlantian Oceania

AORDO Continuity Location

[BNJ] Busukuma, National Capitol Region, Banija

AORDO General - ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

Incumbent - [S&T] Field Marshal Reinhard Drachmann

AORDO Lieutenant General - ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

-Vacant-

AORDO Air Forces (2 Deputies)

[SQU] Colonel Per Arlberg
[GKI] Lieutenant General TANG Tor'audhr

AORDO Naval Forces

[GSF] Rudolf Albein
Deputy: [CBP] Admiral William D. 'Sandy' Sanderson

AORDO Space Forces

[VIL] Dr. Orca Krenii'i
Deputy: [GSF] Albrecht Fischer

AORDO Special Forces

[CBP] Major General David G McKinney
Deputy: [TUR] Nigel the Esteemed Electric Limefish

Code: Select all

[box][floatleft][img]https://i.postimg.cc/vT6zyxcF/aordo21.png[/img][/floatleft][color=#004488] [size=150][b]Position:[/b] AORDO General / Lietenant General[/size][/color]
[size=150][b]Nominee:[/b] NAME OF NOMINEE[/size]
[size=150][b]Nationality:[/b] NAME OF NATION[/size]

[b]Qualifications:[/b] CURRENT TITLES HELD / RELEVANT HONORS

[i][u]Elevator Pitch:[/u][/i] Biography and/org plans for the position should they be selected[/box]

[Milchama]

Position: AORDO General / Lieutenant General
Nominee: Yaniv Arieh
Nationality: Milchama

Qualifications: Helped transition Milchama away from Isolation and toward internationalist posture. Provided military cover in toppling the Gonnenberg regime. Colonel for 3 years, Major General 7 years, Lieutenant General 10+ years. Has been on Milchama's Northern Command, Coastal Command, and Home Front Command. Has been part of every defense cabinet since the end of Isolation.

Elevator Pitch: Milchama is the largest defense spender in AO. The lack of Milchamians in AORDO makes no sense logistically; since Milchamian guns, troops, and other military equipment are necessary for AORDO to function. Moreover, one of the post-Isolation goals of Milchama is to help region mates defend themselves. Arieh has been involved in helping civilians help themselves and has been a long time member of the Milchamian military. His experience in both realms gives him a unique perspective in helping steward AORDO.

[Milchama]

Yaniv Arieh paced in the AORDO headquarters. He was supposed to be asleep but he just couldn't do it. He was the de facto Lieutenant General of AORDO, the current head, while elections were taking place and, of course, he was placed in the midst of a crisis. Jabal Akhdar had always been a curious addition to AO. AO was generally a tropical region and having a desert people was surprising but even more surprising was the human rights record. Oh boy was it bad and now being given access to AORDO files it was even worse than what was public and that was already bad enough.

However, Arieh couldn't focus on that, he had a mission to accomplish. While Græntfjall was justified in their anger, nobody should be victimized in a terror attack, attacking an AO member and attempting to invade (probably, possibly, who knows?) is absolutely a no go. If there is one thing AO believed in it was regional sovereignty and Arieh knew he had backing on that front. Baker Park, Gyatso-Kai, Pluvia and the Saxean Isles (it was nice to have both islands together for once) and others had been very clear about the need to cooperate regionally. Arieh was now in charge of coordinating that effort and making sure it worked effectively. At least until somebody replaced (if they did, he had recently been nominated to the full time post).

Of course the biggest stumbling block were the leaders of Jabal Akhdar. They refused to back down despite the clear problems of sheltering internationally violent criminals. Arieh had spoken to Crown Prince Siddeeqi Ghaazi el-Masri, the leader, and asked about giving AORDO somebody from the el-Masri group so that AORDO could punish someone and make Græntfjallian navy leave territorial waters but Ghaazi had flat out refused. Arieh understood, giving up your cousin is a tough thing to do, and especially in a society like that you can't be weak on family ties.

Then of course came the impasse. What to do? What to do? What to do? All the options seemed bad to Arieh. Attacking Græntfjall was needless escalation and might even draw in more Rushmori nations which nobody wanted. Attacking Jabal Akhdar seemed to be against the whole point of defending regional sovereignty and might even be worse than attacking Græntfjall. If AORDO goes to attack AO nations well that's a little rich. Doing nothing made no sense and saber rattling words wouldn't change anything. This is where Arieh had been for days, just trying to figure out a way to cut the knot and get pass the impasse. Still nothing and nothing.

Then suddenly, an idea! Why not ask Jabal Akhdar to improve their situation! He phoned several people in AORDO with a simple idea: "Hey! Instead of making us look bad in protecting you, can you give us a win and show that diplomacy works!" Arieh had several thoughts there maybe having the Crown Prince hand in major players in the el-Masri terrorist network or promising no el-Masri terrorist attacks or stopping to give the el-Masri network legal cover. Arieh wasn't sure, he wasn't a politician, but he did know that moving it away from a family thing and a cousin thing to a question of realpolitik would maybe be able to ratchet down the tensions. Yaniv Arieh had finally found a way past the Gordian Knot and went to sleep. He hoped the morning phone call would go as well as the night's phone calls had.

[Oontaz Dert Li Ng]

Crown Prince Farooq bin Kudarat of the Sultanate of Oontaz stood up from behind his desk as he prepared to receive his younger brother, Prince Bismillah bin Kudarat. Though the two brothers were similar in appearance, in terms of political mentality the two of them couldn’t be further apart. Farooq was a natural-born politician, an ambitious man who was also ruthless enough to achieve those ambitions, while Bismillah was more relaxed and laid back. Bismillah himself had no interest in politicking or the intricacies of running an entire nation; instead, he preferred to spend his time on more “acceptable” pursuits such as running a motorsports team out of his own pocket and investing in the development of sports in general in the Sultanate. Of course, it was easy for Bismillah to run his own motorsports team out of his own pocket given that the funds from the Sultanate’s oil industries was almost limitless, but he wasn't interested in merely buying his way to a championship. Farooq meanwhile was more unscrupulous in his ways of achieving his ends; if there was a quicker or easier way for him to get what he wanted then he wouldn't hesitate to do it. Farooq had been given more and more governmental responsibilities as his father, the current Sultan of Oontaz, was growing older, and while there were rumors that Sultan Kudarat would soon take the unprecedented step of abdicating in favor of putting Farooq on the throne, there were other rumors circulating that Farooq was preparing to peacefully depose his own father in a palace coup. Farooq had tasted the power of the throne, and he wasn't keen to give it up anytime soon.

"As-salamu alaykum, brother," Bismillah said as he entered Farooq's office.

"Wa alaykumu as-salaam, brother," Farooq responded in the customary Islamic greeting, and then the two of them embraced in a brotherly fashion. However, when Farooq pulled away from Bismillah, the elder brother's nose was wrinkled. "I hate to say it, but you still smell of gasoline," Farooq said.

"At least I took a bath before I went to meet you," Bismillah replied. He was fresh from a publicity shoot for his AOGP team, hence why he smelled of gasoline. "But it's the thought that counts, right?"

"Sure, little brother, whatever you say," Farooq nodded absentmindedly. "Can I interest you in some whiskey?" he asked as poured some into a glass.

"No thanks, brother," Bismillah shook his head. "Even in private, I don't drink alcoholic beverages."

"Why are you so obsessed about that anyway?" Farooq asked. "It's not like anyone else will find out."

"The angels on my shoulders will see it," Bismillah countered. "And the angels on your shoulders see you drinking alcohol, and they will write it down on the book of your deeds."

"Suit yourself," Farooq shrugged and shook his head. "What about some tea? Can I interest you in that?"

"Now we're talking," Bismillah nodded. Farooq poured tea from a silver kettle into the other glass, which he then handed to his brother. "To the Sultan!" Farooq said, raising his glass of whiskey in a toast.

"And to the Sultanate!" Bismillah added, raising his glass of tea as well. The two brothers took a sip from their respective glasses, and then once that was done, Bismillah turned to the Crown Prince and asked him, "So why have you called me here, Farooq? What is it that you wanted to talk about?"

"I don't have a lot of time left as this issue could blow up in the faces of the whole of Atlantian Oceania sooner rather than later, so I'm going to cut to the chase," Farooq replied. "It's about Jabal Akhdar."

"What is it that our brothers in the faith have done now?" Bismillah asked rhetorically.

"Depending on who you believe, Jabal Akhdar have either done nothing wrong or everything is all their fault. Islamist terrorists have attacked Græntfjall, killing hundreds of people, and now the Græntfjaller government wants the Emir of Jabal Akhdar to turn over his cousin, whom the Græntfjallers have identified as being either the leader or a very important member of this terrorist organization, or else suffer the consequences."

"And let me guess: the cousin denies any and all knowledge of and involvement with this terrorist group, and thus the Emir hasn't given him up," Bismillah finished. "Why do the terrorists always have to be Islamist? Why can't the Christians or the Buddhists or even the atheists be the ones to spread terror for a change? Obviously this is a joke," Bismillah quickly added.

"You joke, Bismillah," Farooq laughed, "but if you've read the tabloid rags, especially the ones in Mayin, they'd have you believe that I'm funding Christian fundamentalists in the islands in preparation for false flag attacks that I could use to usurp the throne from Father."

"That sounds a little too far-fetched, even for tabloids," Bismillah snorted. "Then again, Farooq, are you funding fundamentalists in Mayin in order to take the throne from Father?" he suddenly asked.

"Come now, Bismillah, you know better than to ask me that question," Farooq replied with an enigmatic and unreadable smile.

"But of course," Bismillah muttered. "Anyway, what does all of this have to do with us? Apart from Jabal Akhdar being our brothers in the faith, how does this affect our nation in the slightest?"

"The Græntfjaller Navy has already deployed a task force to as close to Akhdarian territorial waters as they dare to move them," Farooq explained. "Not to mention the constant drone attacks that they've staged on the Emirate since immediately after the attacks. But the naval task force is an unprecedented escalation of the situation, and now it's forcing the entire region, at least those with big enough militaries to take about the situation, to be on their toes. Nothing looks like happening just yet, but everyone's fingers are on the trigger. One wrong move from someone, anyone, and this whole region could turn into a powder keg."

"See? This is why you are the Crown Prince, Farooq," Bismillah said. "You are the one who seems to actually care about these issues. Me, I probably wouldn't even waste brain cells thinking about this whole issue. But humor me for a bit. How exactly will this affect the Sultanate?"

"In terms of direct impact, it's not really going to hurt us that much," Farooq shrugged. "Both the Hejazein Peninsula and the Mayin Islands are far enough away from the potential conflict area that there's little if any danger of getting caught in the crossfire. But it's not just a matter of our own territorial integrity and sovereignty. It's about the integrity of the whole of Atlantian Oceania. Remember, brother, Græntfjall aren't even located here. They're all the way over in Rushmore, almost as far away as Pridnestrovia is to us! How would you feel if Pridnestrovia were to suddenly send their navy to the edges of our territorial waters because they wanted me to turn you over to them because they found out that you were connected to a terrorist group?"

"All right, Farooq, first of all, would you turn me over to another country even if they had proof that I have connections to a terrorist organization? Especially if they have proof?"

"Of course not, little brother," Farooq said with a laugh, as if he found the whole concept completely ridiculous. "Not only are you a citizen of the Sultanate of Oontaz subject to the laws of our nation, but you are also a member of the royal family! And you are also subject to the rules of the throne, which themselves may be different to the laws as applied to the common citizen. Why are you asking me this anyway? You don't have any connections to any terrorist network, do you?"

"Of course not, Farooq! Why would you even think that about me?" Bismillah quickly retorted. "How about you, though? Are you the one who's connected to this el-Masri network?"

"Again, Bismillah, you know better than to ask me that," Farooq repeated, again smiling that inscrutable Mona Lisa smile.

"So what is that you want from me now?" Bismillah asked. "I'm only the Minister of Sport right now. As far as international diplomacy goes, I don't have any real power. Are you here to ask me to rubber stamp your decision?"

"Not even that, actually," Farooq shook his head. "I've already made up my mind on what to do next. I just called you over here so you don't get blindsided if any of this spills over to any of your beloved sports. I'm going to AORDO to offer the services of our armed forces, specifically our one carrier task force, to protect and defend the integrity and sovereignty of AO waters and land territory should it come to that. I've also already got a condemnation of both the terrorist attacks and the Græntfjaller response going through both parliaments as I speak. For a country of our size, we've always stood in the background and let everyone else take the spotlight. Now I say that it's time that we had some of that spotlight on ourselves."

"I'm not even surprised that you've already the wheels of this operation moving in the background even while we were talking," Bismillah muttered. "But then again, how sure are you that AORDO are going to accept your offer of help? Fuck, do they even know we exist?"

"If they didn't before then they will now," Farooq replied confidently.

"And what about the Coalition? How are they going to react to this?" Bismillah asked. The APOC Coalition (just the Coalition for short) was a small politico-economic bloc of nations comprising Abanhfleft, Pridnestrovia, the Sultanate of Oontaz, Copper Cuprum, and the Federal Republic of Estorvipa and Estorpiva. The Coalition had been formed to foster cooperation between the member nations, and one of the ways to do that was to inform and coordinate the deployment of military assets of the member states.

"Don't worry about the Coalition, brother," Farooq said with quiet confidence. "Matthias Green is too busy with internal politics. Nikovgorodiev is an interventionist like his predecessor. Chief Deg will follow Green's lead and say nothing, and Fedorchuk and Traianescu will do likewise because Nikovgorodiev said so."

"And what about the people of our country?" Bismillah asked again. "To them, the armed forces have always been for the protection and defense of our state? How do you think they're going to react if you tell them that you're planning to put the carrier task force under AORDO's command?"

"Don't you worry about that, little brother," Farooq assured him. "All I need to do is arrest some feminists or homosexuals, maybe make a journalist disappear, and everyone else will focus on those and not the task force. The focus will be on me and myself only and not on the other things that I'm doing. It's nothing new to me anyway."

     HELLER TURM 1 - 2 SULTANATE OF OONTAZ  
 MURIEL (59' og)       ARIYADI (13')
                       JALMASANI (49')

[Banija]

Kabaka - King
Luguba - Queen Consort
Sarauniya - Queen Mother
Isebantu - Crown Prince
Omugabe/Omugaba - Prince/Princess
Omulangira/Kyabazinga - Duke/Duchess
Kagere/Kiweewa - Lord/Lady
Katikkiro - Prime Minister
Waziri - Foreign Minister (role ALWAYS goes to the Isebantu)
Lukiiko- Parliament
Mkiiko- Member of the Lukiiko
Kiongozi- Leader of the Opposition

Banijan Minister of Defense, Solomon Kayozi, speaking in front of the Lukiiko

Solomon Kayozi had taken over the Minister of Defense job just 7 weeks ago, after the previous Minister had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Terrible and tragic, yes- getting lung cancer was a terrible time. Kayozi's predecessor, naturally, wanted to focus his full efforts on defeating the (literal) cancer inside his body, and so Kayozi had done the reasonable thing- told the Katikkiro, then told the people publicly, and resigned. It was Kayozi's rise to the position that was the most surprising. He had simply been a social media adept back bencher. Just 32 years old, rocking dreads, in his second term in the Lukiiko. He hadn't even been on the front bench, let alone in Government or in the cabinet. How did he go all the way to becoming Minister of Defense?

Xolile Lubabalo saw something in him. She saw the ability for the legislator to break through, and reach the people. And what good party leader, in a parliamentary system, doesn't put her most popular members into her Government? Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer. Her original plan wasn't Minister of Defense, it was far down the pecking order- Deputy Minister of International Trade. So what happened? Well Kayozi, like many other legislators here, had his eyes on the big prize. He wanted Lubabalo's job, and yet, the young disrupter had never been much of a team player. So Lubabalo thought, putting him in a smaller position would not stop that 'go it alone' attitude. Offering him the Minister of Defense job - he couldn't say no, and with a role like that, he'd be forced to toe the party line, to toe the government line- aka, her line.

And, of course, get her some good PR while she was at it.

So Kayozi had gone to AOIsle, alongside the Isebantu, as they had their emergency meeting alongside their allies in Atlantian Oceania. President Delbin Kasekende himself was there on behalf of the Busoga Islands, and many other Ministers of Defense, as well as Heads of Government, were there as well. He was almost certainly the youngest principal in the room. They had agreed upon a course of action, plus, of course, elections to replace the organization's Siovanijan Chair. And in Belle Haven, in their Parliamentary chambers, Prime Minister Schoenlein had announced A no-fly zone, which of course had Banijan support.

Now, came for the time to have the formal support of the Lukiiko, since they had already gotten support from the executive.

Minister of Defense, Solomon Kayozi, steps up to the front of the Chamber as the Speaker bangs his gavel

Speaker: "Or-DER! Or-DER! The right honourable list Mkiiko, Solomon Kayozi, to speak on the rapidly developing Jabal Akhdar crisis."

Kayozi then steps up, as the Lukiiko is in silence

Solomon Kayozi: "My fellow Mkiikos, elected members of this esteemed body. As we all have been following over the past few weeks, we have seen the crisis developing outside of Jabal Akhdar. Many fear that the drums of war are sounding. However, in conjunction with our AORDO allies, we are pursuing a collected, strong path that will avoid the worst of war, and yet, ensure that we stand by our principles- that AO issues are solved by AO nations, and that a nation outside of this region cannot simply waltz into here and simply take this over. Those days of that kind of adventurism are over."

A mixture of cheers and boos, before he gets everyone to quiet down so he can continue

Solomon Kayozi: "There are a few measures that we are asking the Lukiiko to approve today, so we can stand by our own nation's constitutional principles of unity between the crown and the Legislature on Foreign Policy. The first, of course, is enforcing the no-fly zone. The Commonwealth of Baker Park is leading the way, for AORDO, in enforcing a no-fly zone over Vilitan Cove and western Calania. This is the best way to avoid war- to show the world that strength will bring peace .This resolution will express both Banijan support for, and Banijan participation in, the no-fly zone suggested by our closest allies. This will be in conjunction with a measure that demands the Græntfjall Second Fleet withdraws back to Rushmore, with immediate effect."

The Lukiiko roars, and one person starts yelling 'what about the terror??'

Solomon Kayozi: "My good friends, the next thing we are asking the Lukiiko to approve is an unequivocal condemnation of the el-Masri Network, the declaration of the network as a terrorist group, as well as a condemnation on their terror attacks in Steinaux and now in Mliama Kijani. We also express our condolences to both nations who have been hit by this network, and will offer any aid for both nations that they deem necessary. They are both partners of Banija, and despite our disagreements, we do not view either as an enemy. We hope that Prime Minister Michaelsdóttir can change course, and reach out to AORDO. The el-Masri Network has no friends in Atlantian Oceania, and we are just as interested in justice as the people in Græntfjall are."

He pauses, and then continues speaking

Solomon Kayozi: "Those are the important measures that will be voted upon. With the geographic location of AOIsle, and Busukuma as the contingency HQ for AORDO, we felt it prudent to talk about our readiness to host AORDO, if necessary, for any amount of time. Of course, those decisions would be handled by the leadership of AORDO, particularly whoever is elected as the new lead General. Let it be known- we do not expect this to be necessary. We do not believe that a full-scale war will break out, nor do we believe that anyone will benefit. This Government, in conjunction with the Royal Palace, would not go along a path of action that we believe would ultimately lead to a full-scale war. It would be a remote likelihood.

That said, if AORDO felt it was necessary, Busukuma would absolutely be ready to go. Facilities are always ready, alongside necessary things, like housing.

While the second measure passed by a voice vote, the first measure caused quite a bit of debate. It went along the lines that you would expect- from accusations that the Kingdom was doing too much to help Jabal Akhdar shelter Islamic terrorists, to accusations that the Government and the Palace were recklessly charging towards war. What was expected to be an easy vote became anything but- as all 4 parties seemed to split on the issue, which tends to happen with many war votes. Ultimately, the Government won with a comfortable majority (283 votes in favor, 210 votes against, 7 abstaining), but with enough of their own backbenchers voting against them that sent a warning to both the Government, and the Royal Palace, to tread carefully.

The Lukiiko also passed a resolution giving 'the sole right' to vote on AORDO leadership to the Royal Palace, and a congratulations to Field Marshal Driechmann on a job well done in his time as the lead General for AORDO.

To: President Njuguna of Mlima Kijani

Mr. President,

I wish I could write to you in better times. My condolences are sent to you for the terror attacks suffered upon your nation by Islamic terrorists. While Banija has been spared from attacks like these, all they cause is pain and suffering in so many nations. We know that your nation wishes to rid themselves of these terror networks, and Banija is absolutely an ally in these efforts.

We write to offer whatever aid we can, to you and your nation, to help recover. From economic aid and direct investment, to, more importantly, aid to help improve your national security apparatus and help hunt down the MNMK network in your country, we are willing to provide it. From investigative, to operative, please let us know. Improving stability in Mlima Kijani is a paramount goal of Banija as the crises begin to pile up in our region.

From,

Isebantu Mutungi
Waziri of Banija

[Efnakia]

Efnak National Team - Efnak Essome Ssanbu
AOCAF Cup 67 Roster
Dumo Hom Ccahor - The Blue and Golds

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Kits

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The Squad

Manager: Tutsem Katemabffu (12W 10D 16L)
Formation: 4-4-2
Style of play: Counter-attacking
Style modifier: -4

#   POS full name                           short name          hometown                age     height  club
1   GK  Mo adraTesskel Kacceo               Mo Kacceo           Utlo        Abmas       21      75      Danvirk FC (COR)
2   FB  Kasmab adraDdablu Kaddaske          Kasmab Kaddaske     Futle       Anddof      19      73      Miradela GD (KOR)
3   FB  Hondabe adraCcondan Keffa           Hondabe Keffa       Oba         Tamhu       19      69      CmSH Muhdet'
4   CB  Ketne adraKasmab Kahamla            Ketne Kahamla       Bonka       Melham      19      72      KH Udfen
5   CB  Sasmu adraUmo Kacceda               Sasmu Kacceda       Una         Abmas       23      75      Yutzie Sorma (VIL)
6   WM  Koktamo adraFan Kalafhaf            Koktamo Kalafhaf    Fusffacc    Melham      21      71      Yutzie Sorma (VIL)
7   WM  Mebdda adraKalfat' Kaccoddtob       Mebdda Kaccoddtob   Loass       Ub          24      72      Lublova Reds (SRS)
8   CM  Bapam adraDdat'ul Katefess          Bapam Katefess      Set'o       Ulde        21      68      Crix (CMT)
9   CM  Felar adraLasmeff Katadfass         Felar Katadfass     Ccoccleb    Tamhu       21      72      ASC Arvika (KSK)
10  ST  Uhtetul adraKet'ass Kahelto         Uhtetul Kahelto     Ot'         Abmas       20      72      Umbar (CMT)
11  ST  Este adraOpffak Kakto               Este Kakto          Utlo        Abmas       20      74      Kionao Locals (TUR)
12  GK  Atner adraFatffass Kakeddalddo      Atner Kakeddalddo   Fusffacc    Melham      21      76      Knetyohai City FC (CMT)
13  GK  Umfe adraCcat' Kadoda               Umfe Kadoda         Ddamacc     Abmas       24      77      KFH Kehle
14  FB  Acclem adraDakof Katemam            Acclem Katemam      Fen         Melham      19      75      KSH Mutddem
15  FB  Acclem adraKahtoel Kakol            Acclem Kakol        Mamla       Anddof      19      73      TH Atasmak
16  CB  Hat'e adraDet' Kasasmol             Hat'e Kasasmol      Satffo      Melham      23      70      Parkhouse (TLI)
17  CB  Atsal adraAcclem Kaccatacc          Atsal Kaccatacc     Ddef        Anddof      21      70      Dalaris City (PFA)
18  WM  Ssuto adraFan Katemam               Ssuto Katemam       Tunma       Ssedbam     23      68      St. John's Arsenal (QUE)
19  WM  Ccalmo adraEste Kabapta             Ccalmo Kabapta      Una         Abmas       23      72      Railyards (SFD)
20  CM  Tedo adraBonbar Kanla               Tedo Kanla          Ulfu        Tamhu       25      72      CmSH Muhdet'
21  CM  Tedo adraFelar Kabaste              Tedo Kabaste        Hecclub     Ssedbam     20      71      Tihon United (CMT)
22  ST  Lanel adraSatffolfe Kamosspeffe     Lanel Kamosspeffe   Koff        Ub          25      75      Pyathora Mariners FC (TKT)
23  ST  Bomdu adraHas Kadasfe               Bomdu Kadasfe       Oba         Tamhu       23      71      Club Racing Sept-Iles (QUE)

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The Tactics

Efnak national teams, and the country as a whole, fundamentally believe in a 4-4-2 system, based predominantly around a counter-attacking philosophy with creativity coming from wingers, strikers, and overlapping fullbacks. While there is a growing movement within the domestic game around adapting the system into a more fluid, possession-based attacking system, manager Katemabffu is still from the orthodox school, and as such this team, like all national team squads at the moment, will look to bunker in and defend before throwing men forward in a potent counter-attack. While more attacking football was on display during the Baptism of Fire, the more negative tactics during World Cup Qualifying proved successful enough at limited points to be continued into the Cup of Harmony. With the good performance in the Baptism of Fire and reaching expectations as the team faded to 8th in Group 12 of World Cup Qualifying and barely missed the knockout rounds of the Cup of Harmony, Katemabffu has been re-signed to another cycle as Efnak national team manager.

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The Fans

Soccer, or football if you prefer, is really the only sport in Efnakia that anybody cares about, and as such the national team is incredibly well-supported, especially in international competition. The main feature of Efnak support is the Ssaddar, a call-and-response performance involving the full squad prior to matches both at home in Efnakia and during international tournaments where Efnak fans are expected to be in the majority. Efnak fans are guaranteed to sell out every home match, and are more than likely to fill their travelling contingent for every away match. Fan support at international matches within Efnakia generally take the form of the support of the local side - foreign visitors are far more likely to encounter a wall of drums in the Anddof heartland, a cacophony of bells in the industrial cities of Ssedbam, and ethnically charged insults enormous choreography and vocals in nationalistic Abmas.

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My opponent, if they RP first, may do the following:

Choose my scorers
Godmod scoring events
RP injuries to my players* (please TG/DM me to let me know, I determine severity)
Give yellow cards to my players
Give red cards to my players* (up to 2, please TG/DM me to let me know)
Godmod other events* (TG/DM me if they're interesting, I approve)

(Also available for contact on the NSSports discord)

Notes:
When abbreviating first names, "Ss", "Cc", and "Dd" are all Efnak letters and should be treated as such e.g. "WM #15 Ss. Katemam"

[Busoga Islands]

The Busoga Chronicle
The Islands #1 News Source!

SPORTS- Busogans earn a narrow, but important, 1-0 win over 95X, to set up a tense final group stage match against giants Vilita & Turori


Busogans celebrating Kohut's winner against 95X

SOMEWHERE IN FARFADILLIS- 7 regional titles. Combined for 6 world titles. Vilita & Turori, quite more so than any nation besides the Eternal Empire themselves (Valanora), are the dictionary definition of AO blue bloods. Of regional giants. And that is the nation the Busoga Islands need to get through to reach the knockout stages of this tournament. No big deal, right? If Milchama take all three points against 95X, as expected (although even a draw for 95X will put the Busogans through, regardless of our result), then the pressure will obviously build for the Islanders.

How did we get to this point? Obviously, a 1-1 draw against Milchama to start the tournament. No surprises there. Then, on Matchday 2, taking on 95X. It's a tough, tough draw, this group- taking on three nations of World Cup level prestige. But we took them on, and we were the better team against 95X. Not by much, of course- both teams created their fair share of opportunities. But ultimately, taking all three points was deserved. Our midfield and defense absolutely shut down any 95X attacking opportunities in the second half, and it would be the half-Delaclav, Artem Kohut, who would score the game's lone goal in the 72nd minute. That was enough to earn three points, and get to the knockout stages.

With the huge challenge in front of them to finish top 2, the team expressed confidence. "This team- we've never been afraid of anybody." Said Artem Kohut, the team's striker. "We've taken on all sorts of big team, all sorts of giants, and have slayed so many. That doesn't mean we're favorites or anything- far from that- but that means it is reasonable that we approach this match without fear, and with confidence. I believe that we are capable of taking on a team like Vilita & Turori, and going out there, playing our game, and taking our chances on the counter. There's a hell of a reason they are so good, but we believe, that if we stay properly disciplined, we are capable of taking them on."

POLITICS- President Kasekende denies that the 'drums of war' are sounding, as a right-left split begins to emerge in the Busoga Islands over Jabal Akhdar

LAKISKA, SOUTH ISLAND, BUSOGA ISLANDS- Wars are complicated, right? Many people say that, generally speaking, the politics in the Busoga Islands are kind of sleepy. And many Islanders would say that's a good thing, frankly. Very little chaos because things are working. Popular President, popular legislature, the trash is picked up on time, the schools are strong, etc... Really, can't complain. But a war throws everything- and I mean everything- out of wack. Obviously, there is no war here, but the Busoga Islands are still a young country. There is fear, and with so many implications abound, the prospect of it has sharply divided the country.

First, you have the religious right. Peaceful Islamism is alive and strong in the Busoga Islands, although crucially, Busogans are generally Shia, not Sunni- like the Muslims in Mlima Kijani or Jabal Akhdar. While figures across AO were condemning the attacks in Mlima Kijani, the opposition right in the Busoga Islands were releasing statements in support of.. Mlima Kijani. "Obviously, any acts of violence we strongly condemn." Said a party leader in the Busoga Islands. "But in general, we support the plight of our fellow Muslims in that country. With economic collapse being imminent, and a heavily divided country on secretarian lines, we should ensure that things do not devolve into targeted violence against Muslims over there. Our Government needs to contact faith leaders in that country, and ensure that our brother communities stay safe."

And then, you'd have what many would call the secular right. Still right-wing, but far more secular in what is a country that greatly respects, generally, the separation between church and state. One party leader from a party within this faction spoke strongly about this. However, this faction tends to be more militant. "With even more isolationist countries, like Milchama and Gyatso-Kai, stepping out of the woodworks on this, the Busoga Islands needs to step up to the plate, and ensure that we are participating in regional security. Why hasn't the President contributed planes to the mission? He should be working towards multiple goals at once- that Hakim el-Masri faces justice, and that we stand with our regional allies, for AO's independence. Right now, our President is letting our allies do all the lifting- without even contributing a finger. Failure."

And then, finally, we have the secular left. Easily the largest faction, with the President coming from this ideology, as well as secular left parties holding a combined 58% of the seats in the legislature. The President strongly supported the no-fly zone rhetorically, but did not contribute planes- citing Busoga's small military and smaller military capabilities. He has faced some criticism internally, but he has still stood strong behind his AORDO allies. Many say he stands strongly, especially against Rushmori aggression, but very obviously wants to avoid an all-out war. He feels that his actions can ensure that he does that.

Election year is just around the corner in this country. Any mis-steps? Who knows- his position could be assailable.

[Hapilopper]

HAPILOPPER TO OFFER SUPPORT TO AORDO ‘IF NEEDED’ – HOPES TO STAY OUT OF CONFLICT

By Ron Russell, the Hapilopper City Herald

HAPILOPPER CITY – Hapiloppian President William Mathis, in a press conference with much of the nation’s news corps, announced Wednesday that while he hopes that Hapilopper will stay out of any conflict involving Graintfjall and Jabal Akhdar, it will support the Atlantian Ocenaia Regional Defense Organization, or AORDO, in any way asked of them.

“This isn’t our conflict, first and foremost,” Mathis told reporters. “We are not a militaristic nation, and we hope that we can stay out of this as much as we can. However, we are proud members of Atlantian Oceania, and we are not going to tolerate an invasion from a nation from another region.”

Mathis explained that Hapilopper, nominally, would remain neutral in a conflict between two nations, but the nation would support its regionmate if asked.

“We here in this nation believe very strongly in region harmony,” Mathis said. “We had a tragic occurrence several years ago when a group of nations decided to split this region in two. It was one of the worst things to happen to this region, as well as humanity, in a long time. And ever since that tragic event, we here are more committed to standing behind our other nations in Atlantian Oceania.”

Mathis said, however, that he would prefer that Hapiloppian soldiers were not involved in any kind of military conflict.

“This isn’t our conflict, like I said,” Mathis explained. “So we’re not sending Hapiloppians out there. What we are going to do though, if asked, is we’re going to allow AORDO troops and equipment to be housed in Hapilopper if that is asked of us.”

It is rumored that the East Hampton International Airport, on the northeast side of Hapilopper, would likely be used to house AORDO equipment if requested by the defense organization. Mathis declined to comment on those rumors.

“I’m not going to say where we put our stuff,” Mathis said. “I’m not going to make us a target.”